SHILLONG, Aug 17: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) said Governor Phagu Chauhan has assured that he will give his assent to the Bills passed by the council as soon as they are sent to him.
The council said the Governor made the assurance to a delegation of its Executive Committee (EC) when it called on him at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday.
The delegation was led by KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pyniaid Sing Syiem.
Expressing happiness with the outcome of the meeting, Syiem they had raised the issue of pending Bills passed by the council in the past few months and are lying with the state government.
Syiem disclosed that the state government-constituted expert committee had returned eight Bills to the KHADC seeking clarification. He said seven of them are related to Elaka administration.
Syiem further disclosed that the government also returned the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration) Bill, 2022.
“We have impressed upon the Governor to immediately give his assent as soon as we rectify these eight Bills and return them to the government,” the KHADC CEM said. He also said that they had discussed the issues of implementation of projects and the assets of the council. He said they asked Chauhan if he can inaugurate one of the projects.
“We are happy as the Governor has agreed to come and inaugurate one of the projects,” Syiem said.
He said they also had a brief discussion with the Governor on the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
He lauded the constitution of the expert committee that allows the state government and the council to sit together along with law officers to ensure that the Bills passed by the council get the Governor’s assent early.
“We can strengthen the functioning of various Himas by way of codification. We need to protect and strengthen the traditional institutions by way of legislation of Rules and Acts,” Syiem said.
